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MTL

46-28-8

WSH

38-30-14

3

Final

2

31 SOG

27 SOG

Recap

Boxscore

Rosters

Canadiens hold on against Capitals, Ovechkin

NHL.com | Friday, 11.22.2013 / 10:29 PM

WASHINGTON (NHL.com) - The Montreal Canadiens scored three times in less than five minutes of the first period and held on to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-2 at Verizon Center on Friday.

Alex Ovechkin had the goals for Washington, giving him 19 to lead the NHL.

Moen's wrist shot beat Michal Neuvirth for his first goal of the season and first in 47 games at 8:53. A sloppy pass from Capitals defenseman Alexander Urbom to Mikhail Grabovski led to a turnover just outside Washington's defensive zone. Michael Bournival corralled the loose puck and quickly passed it to Moen.

Three minutes later, Desharnais scored his first goal of the season (snapping a 21-game drought dating to last season) when he deflected Josh Gorges' shot from the point past Neuvirth's catching glove. The goal went to review to see if Desharnais' stick was above the crossbar, but there was not sufficient evidence to overturn it.

Daniel Briere extended Montreal's lead to 3-0 on the power play at 13:40 when he was able to sneak behind Urbom in front of the net.

With time running out in the period and the Capitals on the power play, Ovechkin scored on a tight-angle shot at 19:37. John Carlson's wrist shot missed wide and caromed right to Ovechkin along the goal line to Peter Budaj's right. It snapped a streak of seven straight goals scored against Washington dating to its 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

In the third period, Ovechkin, who had taken a roughing penalty two minutes earlier, brought Washington with 3-2 at 12:27 when he deflected Carlson's shot in the slot.

Budaj made 24 saves; Neuvirth had 28.

The Canadiens have won two straight and three of four; the Capitals lost their second straight, falling five points behind the Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.